7-6 on aggregate – Inter Milan knock out Barcelona to reach the UCL final in Munich

Italians through 

©IMAGO

4-3 on the night after 120 minutes! 7-6 on aggregate for Inter Milan when the dust finally settled! Just when the football world thought the first leg 3-3 draw between Barcelona and Inter Milan couldn’t be topped, the two sides would produce fireworks once again in the second leg with Inter Milan edging out a result that will see them play for the title in Munich. Once again, Inter Milan would take a 2-0 lead on Tuesday night, and once again, Barcelona would rally back to equalize. But while last week Inter Milan would make it 2-3, this time it was Barca who would take the lead and looked ready to advance. 

Barça thought they had the job done, but then 37-year-old defender Francesco Acerbi scored with an unbelievable finish inside the box with just minutes to go to equalize for Inter Milan. Once again, the score read 3-3. The goal capped off 90 minutes of fireworks. First Inter Milan scored twice with  Lautaro Martínez (21’) and Hakan Calhanoglu (pen. 45’), the scorers. Then came Barça’s three goals. Eric (54’), Dani Olmo (60’), and then Raphinha (88’) overturned the result. 

Inter looked out and defeated. But then came Acerbi, sending the game into extra time. It seemed like justice. After all, the two teams had provided viewers with some of the most spectacular football seen in the Champions League in some years. And we weren’t done. Completely unleashed, Inter Milan kept rushing forward, and in the 99th minute, Davide Frattesi would score what turned out to be the winner. 

Inter vs Barca – Italians through with an uncharacteristic performance

There is no doubt. What we witnessed was historic. It was also a somewhat uncharacteristic win by the Italians. Heading into the tie, Inter Milan goalkeeper Yann Sommer led the Champions League with seven clean sheets in 12 games. Sommer sat out the round of 16 first leg against Feyenoord, but even without the Swiss keeper, Inter Milan managed to keep a clean sheet, beating the Dutch side 2-0. 

The entire 210 minutes against Barcelona have been uncharacteristic of Inter Milan. The Italians have been a defensive powerhouse heading into the tie. But then the Italians struggled to contain Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, Olmo & Co. Just to put it in perspective, eight of the 11 goals Inter Milan have conceded in this Champions League campaign have come in the 210 minutes against Barcelona. 

It speaks volumes, though, for Simone Inzaghi’s side that they could adjust to Barça’s football. Rather than trying to contain an attacking line that couldn’t be contained, Inter Milan rolled with the punches. The Italians played free-flowing attacking football, utilizing their fast attackers, first and foremost Marcus Thuram, who was excellent in both legs. In fact, looking at this result and the way Inter could play a style of football that is not typical for them, it would be a mistake to bet against them in the final, no matter the opponent.